Self-loading log trucks have traditionally had the loading apparatus mounted directly behind the cab of the truck. FIG. 1 show a typical cab-mounted loader arrangement. Cab-mounted loader 180 has a loader 160 mounted behind the cab on a mounting apparatus 110. While this design allows for logs 184 to be loaded such that the logs overhang the back of the truck bed 182, the work area 170 is limited to the sides of truck bed 182. The loader 160 physically cannot reach behind truck bed 182 and cannot reach over the cab out of safety considerations.
Rear-mounted loaders 280 have recently become more popular. With the loader mounting apparatus 210 moved to the rear of truck bed 282, loader 260 work area 270 is enlarged. However, to accommodate the same typical two-tiered log load 284, truck bed 282 must be significantly longer than truck bed 182. With a longer truck bed 282, loader mounting apparatus 210 is placed further behind rear axles 285. A greater portion of the total weight of the rear-mounted loader 280 is then placed on the rear axles. This poor weight distribution increases wear and tear on the suspension and adversely impacts overall truck handling, effectively limiting the maximum safe payload.
It can be seen, therefore, that there is a need for a loader vehicle design that has the payload capacity advantages of a cab-mounted loader while still possessing the increased work area of a rear-mounted loader.